[Ed.note: days 169-173 summarized from original blog]
Sun.Aug.16/Day 169: Wx - forecast 61/78, wds NNE 4-6, cloudy. Left Kingston at 08:25, traveled 4.1 hr, 42 mi., to New Baltimore and Donovan's Shady Harbor Marina; 61/78 with wds NNE 4-6, cloudy. No incidents and little boat traffic. Passed by communities such as Coxsackie [the Coxsackie virus was named after this town in 1948], Stuyvesant, Catskill, and Hudson. Went under the Rip Van Winkle bridge [see photo]. Houses continue to have more of a 'Northeast' look - lots of white clapboard, 2 story, green shingling, etc. The river remains deep in the channel - 30-50 ft.
Donovan's Shady Harbor has a great reputation and is a Looper sponsor; 120 slips/20 transients, well maintained; a great ships & convenience store, boat yard with travel lift, pool with a covered BBQ area next to the 'Bathhouse' [well used area]; a restaurant/grill is part of the campus. The only drawback is no grocery store close by; which is offset by having a courtesy car. Being 'on the river' means getting waked by unthinking souls in power boats; but members/staff take an aggressive approach to this - they are on the radio in the blink of an eye and suggesting that the boat should slow down; the staff may sound an air horn.
Noted how much fuel and water weighs and its impact for us. Had Dogfish Head IPA beer.
Photos - from Kingston - Marg's nocturnal skulking, and of the marina; a few of this marina, showing the pool/BBQ/bathhouse area with the boatyard shop, and the docks looking North; one of the lighthouse at Hudson, and one of the Rip Van Winkle bridge [named for the Washington Irving character, and is almost a mile long, linking Catskill and Hudson].
From the Admirals Desk, commenting on great wx and scenery; and how she acquired her skulking photo. The goofs in the big boat behind us wouldn't get off their deck and go to bed! I had to settle for the second best angle. Leftovers tonight. Deciding what to cook often more difficult than the cooking. That's it for today from me. No masking here.
Mon.Aug.17/Day 170:
58/79, p.cldy. Took courtesy car to Albany to clarify where to pick up rental tomorrow. On our return, took a different route, since the first one was through a bit of a rough area; the return route was worse, partly because I took a wrong turn following a highway sign instead of the street sign, and we found ourselves in the middle of what appeared to have been an altercation involving a knife, with this rather large man coming out of the house door with blood on his t-shirt, several women beating on the roof of a car and screaming at someone inside it, and a Sheriff's car pulling up with his lights on just as we passed. Many cars were backing up and we were able to get by before the street blocked; we stopped for gas, since the tank was near empty and I did not want to run out in the neighborhood, and saw several police cars, a fire/EMS truck and an ambulance flying by, most likely to that altercation. Photos of tow/barge and fog, the flood current speed, and the invasive water plants [chestnuts]. Replaced the GFCI in galley; the yard mechanic pulled our steering hydraulic ram to send to a shop for rebuilding the seals. The Admirals Desk commented on our ‘misadventure’ witnessing.
Tues.Aug.18/Day 171: 53/79, wds S 5-10, mixed sun and rain. Courtesy car to drop off the steering ram and pick up our Enterprise; then a stop at Hannaford’s Grocery [14mi. – everyone masked]
Admirals Desk: an update on the "altercation" yesterday. It was actually a shooting/homicide! We turned into the street moments after 2 men in a vehicle shot 2 that were sitting in the car we saw everyone crowding around, banging and shouting because one one of the victims was a brother to one of the group. One victim is dead (17yr old) and the other is in the hospital. There were multiple shots fired into the vehicle. We barely missed being in the middle of it all. Also comments about Verizons poor website and her phone needs replacing; our cell service here is poor.
Wed.Aug.19/Day 172: wx 50/74, mix sun. Drove 26mi. to E.Chatham to visit ‘old’ lifelong friend Brian Wood and wife Ashley; both are abstract artists and he is well known with his work in MOMA and others; a 4000sq.ft. studio here [as well as a small one in Manhattan]. Photos of his work and the studio.
Admirals DeskThe visit to Brian's was a total visual overload. Although I can't pretend to understand his work, they are instantly beautiful, and the more you look the deeper and more complex they become. An incredible experience. We have included a few photos but they obviously can't/don't show much. They are coming to see the boat tomorrow. Nice boat, but no visual overload.😁 Back at boat she cleaned the BBQ and oven. I replaced O-rings on deck fittings and Flitz polished SS fittings. We had great take-out from marina grill [F&C for me, sesame encrusted Ahi for Marg, and Italian lemon cake]; everyone masked. Plans to leave Friday for Erie Canal.
Thurs.Aug.20/Day 173:
sunny, 50/77. Had great visit from Brian and Ashley, reminiscing the ‘old’ days. Returned the Enterprise and picked up the steering ram; mechanic came by and reinstalled it and showed me how to bleed the system at the flybridge. Photos of the docks - notice the one of our dock sign with the 'Beware - drunken people crossing' sign on the ground beneath it! Apparently this dock was a real 'party' dock at one time and also is the big dock between the 'South' & 'North' docks - so "SIN" resulted, and the 'beware' sign was then added appropriately.. Admiral had long note about our visitors, her new phone and clothing replacements from Amazon. Leave in a.m.
Comments:
Ernie R - 17 Aug 2020: Rob, probably don’t have to consider beer/wine in the weight load with fuel/water due to somewhat rapid consumption rate! Since you all are Canada citizens also can you not cross border anyway? Understand it being closed to non citizens but read somewhere that citizens could still enter. Maybe doesn’t apply to boats! Be safe
Wayne - 18 Aug 2020: Rough drive, 40 some years ago Rob, you were top of the class in our Karate group, you probably didn't have anything to worry about, must be an age thing. lol.
Ernie R - 18 Aug 2020: Rob, what with you being a highly trained doctor I am surprised your first reaction was not to stop and render aid to the knife victim until the authorities/ambulance arrived!!! Especially since we have just discovered you are expert self defense person! Not to be critical but from the steering ram photos the lazaret appears to be in somewhat disarray, please add this to your maintenance list to police up the area to Commodore standards!! Be safe!
Robert & Margaret - 18 Aug 2020: Wayne, I think you are either too kind regarding our karate days or your memory is beginning to slip in your 'old' age. Ernie, just to point out that some of us do not have the space that a much bigger yacht has in which to stuff things in a more 'organised' manner. Also, it is amazing what we start to need to keep readily available when living on the boat for 6 mo.
Ann - 19 Aug 2020: Yikes, Rob, maybe you need a better GPS to guide you through better neighborhoods !! I hope your route was safer on the next outing! Might need to just use Uber - they should know the safe routes!! Stay safe.
Dd - 20 Aug 2020: Say hello to Brian! I think he still owes me a nickel for letting you guys take my blood! Awesome paintings!!!
Ernie R - 20 Aug 2020: Rob, you are such a trooper to take on dessert all by yourself! No need to sort stuff, either take it all home or leave it all there! Think we may need some of those dock signs for TP! Be safe!
Jim and Susie R. - 21 Aug 2020: You are finally getting into good Italian food country, i.e the lemon cake, etc. Well may be it started in NJ. Cooler temps are on the way. I know seeing Wood and his studio was a huge treat especially since you are life long buddies. I also know that he is "world famous" because my artist wife told me so. Did he gift you any canvasses? Stay safe and well.
Ann R - 21 Aug 2020: Marg, your photos of nighttime and sunrise are lovely! Rob, I love Italian lemon cake. Glad you ordered some. We look forward to seeing y’all once it’s safe. Maybe by the time you return it will be!! COVID Numbers in hospital are going up in Shoals right now.
Ann R - 21 Aug 2020: Stay safe. And please don’t bring the virus home with you. We have enough in N AL already, and compliance with recommended safety measures is not always heeded here. We are enjoying your blog and photos (well most of them, but I can relate to Marg’s better than Rob’s!). Best wishes for the rest of your trip!